How much does an electric water heater cost to run?
$84 a month
- A day of use
- $2.75
- An hour of running
- $0.92
- A year
- $1,004.12
5,000 W, 3 hours a day of element heating time (tank type), at the US average of 18.3¢ per kWh (EIA, June 2026). How we calculate this
Change the watts, hours or rate
What it costs at other usage levels
| Use | A day | A month | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour a day | $0.92 | $27.89 | $334.71 |
| 2 hours a day | $1.83 | $55.78 | $669.41 |
| 3 hours a day typical | $2.75 | $83.68 | $1,004.12 |
| 4 hours a day | $3.67 | $111.57 | $1,338.82 |
| 8 hours a day | $7.34 | $223.14 | $2,677.64 |
| 24 hours a day | $22.01 | $669.41 | $8,032.92 |
Models range from 4,500 W to 5,500 W (Virginia Cooperative Extension). We use 5,000 W, the middle of that range.
Ways to spend less
- Turn the tank thermostat down to the lowest setting that still gives comfortable showers.
- Fix dripping hot taps and fit low-flow shower heads.
- Wash clothes in cold water.
- Cut heating time by an hour a day with shorter showers. Saves about $27.89 a month.
What an electric water heater costs to run in every state
| Rank | State | Rate | A month | A year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 13.1¢ | $59.81 | $717.77 |
| 2 | Nebraska | 13.3¢ | $60.45 | $725.44 |
| 3 | Utah | 13.4¢ | $61.00 | $732.01 |
| 4 | Louisiana | 13.5¢ | $61.55 | $738.58 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 14.1¢ | $64.19 | $770.33 |
| 6 | Arkansas | 14.1¢ | $64.42 | $773.07 |
| 7 | North Dakota | 14.1¢ | $64.42 | $773.07 |
| 8 | Kentucky | 14.3¢ | $65.06 | $780.74 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 14.3¢ | $65.38 | $784.57 |
| 10 | Idaho | 14.4¢ | $65.56 | $786.76 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 14.7¢ | $67.25 | $807.02 |
| 12 | Mississippi | 14.9¢ | $67.89 | $814.68 |
| 13 | Washington | 14.9¢ | $68.03 | $816.32 |
| 14 | New Mexico | 15.1¢ | $68.71 | $824.54 |
| 15 | Florida | 15.1¢ | $68.89 | $826.73 |
| 16 | Montana | 15.1¢ | $69.08 | $828.92 |
| 17 | Arizona | 15.2¢ | $69.26 | $831.11 |
| 18 | Wyoming | 15.2¢ | $69.53 | $834.39 |
| 19 | South Dakota | 15.4¢ | $70.08 | $840.96 |
| 20 | West Virginia | 15.5¢ | $70.49 | $845.89 |
| 21 | South Carolina | 15.6¢ | $70.95 | $851.36 |
| 22 | Kansas | 15.7¢ | $71.68 | $860.12 |
| 23 | Iowa | 15.9¢ | $72.68 | $872.17 |
| 24 | Texas | 15.9¢ | $72.73 | $872.72 |
| 25 | Missouri | 16.2¢ | $74.00 | $888.05 |
| 26 | Oregon | 16.3¢ | $74.46 | $893.52 |
| 27 | Georgia | 16.4¢ | $74.64 | $895.71 |
| 28 | Alabama | 16.4¢ | $74.83 | $897.90 |
| 29 | Colorado | 17.1¢ | $78.16 | $937.87 |
| 30 | Virginia | 17.2¢ | $78.57 | $942.80 |
| 31 | Indiana | 17.5¢ | $79.89 | $958.67 |
| 32 | Minnesota | 17.5¢ | $79.94 | $959.22 |
| 33 | Ohio | 19.2¢ | $87.55 | $1,050.65 |
| 34 | Delaware | 19.3¢ | $88.01 | $1,056.13 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | 19.6¢ | $89.24 | $1,070.91 |
| 36 | Illinois | 19.9¢ | $90.75 | $1,088.98 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | 21.7¢ | $99.14 | $1,189.72 |
| 38 | Maryland | 21.8¢ | $99.65 | $1,195.74 |
| 39 | Michigan | 23.0¢ | $104.89 | $1,258.70 |
| 40 | Connecticut | 24.3¢ | $110.96 | $1,331.52 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | 24.4¢ | $111.28 | $1,335.35 |
| 42 | Vermont | 24.4¢ | $111.51 | $1,338.09 |
| 43 | New Jersey | 25.0¢ | $113.83 | $1,366.01 |
| 44 | New Hampshire | 27.0¢ | $123.23 | $1,478.80 |
| 45 | Alaska | 28.2¢ | $128.71 | $1,544.50 |
| 46 | Rhode Island | 29.2¢ | $133.36 | $1,600.34 |
| 47 | New York | 29.5¢ | $134.55 | $1,614.58 |
| 48 | Maine | 29.6¢ | $135.00 | $1,620.05 |
| 49 | Massachusetts | 29.6¢ | $135.10 | $1,621.15 |
| 50 | California | 34.7¢ | $158.50 | $1,902.02 |
| 51 | Hawaii | 52.7¢ | $240.54 | $2,886.42 |
Questions
How much does it cost to run an electric water heater per hour?
About $0.92 an hour. An electric water heater at 5,000 W uses 5.00 kWh per hour, and at the US average of 18.3¢ per kWh that comes to $0.92.
How much does an electric water heater add to your electric bill?
Used 3 hours a day of element heating time (tank type), about $83.68 a month, or $1,004.12 a year.
How much does it cost to run an electric water heater 24 hours a day?
Running nonstop, an electric water heater would use 120 kWh a day and cost $22.01 a day, or $669.41 over an average month.
How many watts does an electric water heater use?
Models range from 4,500 W to 5,500 W (Virginia Cooperative Extension). We use 5,000 W, the middle of that range. Check the label on yours: cost scales directly with watts, so a 20% lower wattage means a 20% lower bill.
Which state is cheapest to run an electric water heater in?
Nevada, at 13.1¢ per kWh: $59.81 a month. The most expensive is Hawaii at 52.7¢ per kWh: $240.54 a month. Same appliance, same hours; only the rate differs.
Sources
- Virginia Cooperative Extension: Estimating appliance and home electronic energy use (reproduces U.S. Department of Energy sample wattages)
- Penn State EGEE 102: Typical range of power consumption (wattage)
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: average price of electricity to ultimate customers, residential, June 2026 Figures transcribed from republications of this table on September 26, 2026; pending direct verification from the EIA API.
Usage assumptions (hours a day, season) are ours and listed on the methodology page. Found an error? Tell us.